UMass HR Insider—March 2026 | Volume 4, Issue 3
Content
As March brings the first signs of spring, this month’s HR Insider highlights opportunities to connect, create, and recharge—from celebrating campus artists and engaging in dialogue, to exploring AI, wellness, and helpful HR resources, all aimed at supporting you both at work and beyond.
The Partnership for Worker Education Presents: Building Bridges 2026: Celebrating Worker Artists
Building Bridges is gearing up for its ninth annual Showcase Event, and you’re invited to join us on April 7 at the Randolph W. Bromery Center for the Arts from 12–7 p.m. This year’s event features worker artists from across campus, along with workshops, live music, demonstrations, and interactive activities.
Building Bridges uses art to foster connection and solidarity, offering programs like Random Acts of Kindness Through Art, Our Immigrant Voices, and Showcasing Worker Artists at UMass. These projects highlight creativity, personal expression, and the contributions of campus employees, including essential workers, while promoting dialogue across differences.
The 2026 Showcase Event continues this tradition, providing a platform for artistic expression and community engagement. All students, faculty, and staff are invited to attend, celebrate creativity, and experience the diverse talents of the UMass workforce.
Learn more on the Building Bridges website.
Random Acts of Kindness 2026Worker artists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst are spreading creativity and positivity with Random Acts of Kindness!
Artists recently created free postcards of art that are distributed around campus for anyone to enjoy. Check out the creativity.
Introducing AI Launch – DISCOVER Workshop
Human Resources and Information Technology are pleased to introduce AI Launch – DISCOVER, a new professional development opportunity exclusively for UMass Amherst staff.
This introductory workshop is designed to help participants build a foundational understanding of artificial intelligence (AI) and explore how it can be used responsibly and effectively in everyday work. Whether you are new to AI or simply curious about its potential, these sessions offer a practical and approachable starting point.
In this workshop, led by Patrick Flaherty, Associate Professor of Mathematics & Statistics, participants will learn what AI is, gain insight into UMass Amherst’s approved tools, and review key data guidelines and campus policies related to AI use. The session will also include a live demonstration to illustrate practical, day-to-day applications. Together, these topics are designed to help staff safely begin using AI to enhance productivity and streamline processes.
UMass Amherst staff are invited to join one of the following sessions—space is limited, so be sure to register today!
- Tuesday, April 14, 2026 | 12:15–12:45 p.m. | W.E.B. Du Bois Library, Room 600
- Thursday, April 16, 2026 | 12:15–12:45 p.m. | W.E.B. Du Bois Library, Room 600
This workshop offers a valuable opportunity to build confidence with AI in a supportive, campus-focused environment. Staff are encouraged to attend and begin exploring how AI can responsibly support their daily work.
Interested in exploring even more free, practical courses designed to build skills and support your career growth? Browse the latest Workplace Learning and Development workshops and discover opportunities to help you thrive at UMass Amherst!
Join the Days of Dialogue: March 24–26
The Intergroup Dialogue Initiative invites faculty, staff, and students to participate in facilitated small-group conversations during the Days of Dialogue, March 24–26.
These dialogue, listening, and storytelling circles offer members of the campus community a chance to share experiences, hear different perspectives, and connect with colleagues and students from across campus. Each session takes place in a small-group setting co-facilitated by faculty and staff participating in the Dialogue Facilitation Fellows program, and is designed to encourage thoughtful conversation and respectful exchange.
Throughout the three-day event, participants can choose from several circle formats and topics, including:
- Listening Circles: How are we navigating political polarization in our families, classrooms, workplaces, and communities?
- Storytelling Circles: What does success, fulfillment, or purpose mean to you at this stage of your life?
- Dialogue Circles: How are AI and social media affecting our well-being?
Faculty and staff are encouraged to take part in one or more sessions.
Register today and learn more about the different circle formats and topics on the Days of Dialogue website.
GIC Open Enrollment Alert April 1–May 1
Plan changes take effect: July 1
Premium changes take effect: June 19
Mark your calendar and stay tuned for details!
Be UMass Ready: Severe Weather—Watch vs. Warning
Each month, the University of Massachusetts Amherst highlights an emergency preparedness topic. This March, we focus on severe weather, including the difference between a weather watch and a warning, and how to stay safe on campus.
Be Informed
Severe weather includes thunderstorms, winter storms, tornadoes, flooding, and high winds. Understanding alerts helps you make safe decisions:
- Weather Watch: Conditions are favorable for severe weather. Stay alert and monitor updates.
- Weather Warning: Severe weather is occurring or imminent. Take protective action immediately.
Follow updates from the National Weather Service, local media, or campus notifications.
Have a Plan
- Lightning: Go indoors immediately; avoid open areas and tall trees. Stay in your vehicle if driving.
- Flooding: Never walk or drive through flooded roadways. Six inches of moving water can knock you down; a foot can move a vehicle.
- Tornadoes: Move indoors to the lowest, most interior part of the building. Avoid windows.
Build Your Kit
Keep a charged phone, flashlight with extra batteries, a first aid kit, and nonperishable food items on hand.
Being prepared is a shared responsibility. Learn more on the UMass Emergency Management website and consider signing up for Emergency Preparedness Training to build practical skills for responding to campus emergencies.
Join Pack the Pantry: Campuswide Food Drive | April 20–29
From April 20 through April 29, the campus community is invited to take part in Pack the Pantry, a campuswide food drive that supports ASC@UMass: The Campus Pantry. The pantry provides free groceries to help meet the basic needs of University of Massachusetts Amherst faculty, staff, and students.
This effort is organized by the UMass Amherst Community Campaign, Basic Needs Initiatives, and UMass Recreation and Wellbeing.
Donations of nonperishable, easy-to-eat foods are especially helpful for individuals with limited kitchen access. Suggested items include soups or pasta with pull-tab lids, instant oatmeal, cereal bars, and single-serve snacks such as applesauce or noodles.
Find donation bin locations here.
The drive concludes with a special collection event on Founders Day, April 29, on Haigis Mall from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
If you would like to organize a collection in your office or department, contact %20bridgethynes [at] umass [dot] edu (subject: ) (Bridget Hynes) or Jen Gallant at jengallant [at] umass [dot] edu (subject: ) (jengallant[at]umass[dot]edu).
Together, we can help support members of our campus community this spring.
Recharge and Connect at the 4th Annual UMass Wellness Fair | April 22
The University of Massachusetts Amherst Public Health Promotion Center, in collaboration with the Elaine Marieb College of Nursing and the School of Public Health & Health Sciences, will host the fourth annual Wellness Fair on Wednesday, April 22, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Campus Center Auditorium. The free event is open to all University of Massachusetts Amherst faculty, staff and students.
The 2026 Wellness Fair celebrates the many ways our campus supports healthy living and overall well-being. The event also reflects UMass Amherst’s commitment to being a health-promoting university through the Okanagan Charter and the Okanagan Wellbeing Collective.
Stop by to explore a range of activities and resources, including:
- Blood pressure and hearing screenings
- Nutrition, biometrics, and ergonomics counseling
- Yoga and mindfulness sessions
- Educational programs and community resources
- Raffles and giveaways
NEOED Perform: Performance Management
NEOED Perform is the performance evaluation process for all non-unit professional employees, non-unit classified employees, and non-unit academic administrators
As part of our HR Modernization efforts, the new NEOED Perform platform is now open for the July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026 evaluation cycle. This system supports the performance evaluation process for all non-unit professional employees, non-unit classified employees, and non-unit academic administrators. For additional guidance, training resources, and ongoing updates—and to log into the NEOED Perform platform—please visit the Performance Management webpage.
Career Opportunities—Tell a Friend
Assistant Dean & Chief of Communications and Marketing Officer (CCMO)
College of Natural Sciences
This role serves as the strategic leader for all communications and marketing initiatives within the College of Natural Sciences (CNS). Reporting directly to the Dean, this role develops and executes a comprehensive school-wide communications strategy that elevates the college’s reputation and engages diverse audiences including students, faculty, alumni, and external stakeholders.